Karen Tyrell is a Dementia Consultant & Educator and Founder of Personalized Dementia Solutions Inc. She is the author of "Cracking the Dementia Code - Creative Solutions to Cope with Changed Behaviours" (published in 2013). She is also the co-creator of the "Dementia Caregiver Solutions" iOS App (released in 2015) which has helped hundreds of caregivers to better care for individuals exhibiting common dementia behaviours. With 7 years of post-secondary education in the field of Gerontology as well as over 20 years of frontline experience, Karen has acquired deep practical skills and well-rounded knowledge which have enabled her to successfully support her clients. She is a lifelong learner, having taken several courses in dementia, psychology and leadership, including obtaining a certificate in Long-Term Care Management from the Canadian Healthcare Association. Before moving to BC in 2009 Karen was the Executive Director of the Alzheimer Society of Leeds-Grenville in Ontario, providing dementia support and education in her community. Previously, she held the role of Board President for the Society for 4 consecutive years. As the CEO of Personalized Dementia Solutions Inc., Karen shares her expertise through speaking engagements and dementia workshops for both families and frontline staff. She also facilitates family caregiver support groups and works one-on-one with caregivers to provide emotional support and practical creative non-pharmacological solutions to help alleviate everyday challenges associated with dementia. In 2015 Karen completed a yearlong contract to personally deliver her Cracking the Dementia CodeT Workshop (Fundamentals and Advanced) to staff at 22 care homes of a large Western Canadian company (independent, assisted living and residential care home sites). Supporting various community organizations is another way Karen is able to share her passion. She is an active member of the Tri-Cities Seniors Planning Network and she serves on the Board of the North Fraser Chapter of CARP as Vice-Chair. She also writes the monthly "Dear Dementia Solutions" column on the CARP national website. Karen continues to be inspired to be a creative change maker for those affected by dementia. Karen is very excited about her company''s two new initiatives taking place in 2016: the publication of the first volume of her series "Therapeutic Colouring & Activity Books for Older Adults," as well as the launch of the first Canadian professional dementia designation training program for professional caregivers called Certified Dementia Care Provider - CDCPT.